POM wonderful or Full of Wonder?

There are several juices on the market looking to squeeze extra cash out of consumers with their bold claims of health benefits.  Is there any science backing these claims?  Should you incorporate these juices to achieve optimum wellness?  Health claims made by these products on the internet will have you believing that $35-$40 per bottle will cure whatever ails you!  I will outline three juices based on information provided by the November Nutrition Action Healthletter (author David Schardt), their claims and pitfalls so you can decide what is best for you and your wallet!

 

People in China, Malaysia and India have been using this fruit and the bark of the Mangosteen tree to help treat eczema and diarrhea for decades.  It is sold via a multi-level marketing network that posts websites, recruits other sellers, and markets to family and friends.  At each steps, sellers are getting a commission from the company XanGo located in Utah (this company is also linked with Tahitian Noni).  Despite that the company cannot make claims that the juice fights specific disease, local juice sellers boast that the juice cures cancer, diabetes, migraine headaches, Alzheimer's and more.  The juice does contain xanthoes or antioxidants that may help improve intestinal health and neutralize free radicals.  David Morton, scientific advisor to XanGo and University of Utah anatomist claims that the "Science on Mangosteen is still very early".  There are no studies scheduled on humans because so much more needs to be done in the lab first. 

 

This small, green fruit grows in tropical islands in Asia and Hawaii and grew popular in the United States in 1996 when the Utah company called Tahitian Noni started selling it as a dietary supplement.  Co-founder of Tahitian Noni, John Wadsworth, has been vague about the juice's benefits since 1998 when the company paid out $100,000 to settle a lawsuit filed in California, Texas, New Jersey and Arizona regarding false claims like "prevent", "treat" and "cure" in regards to various diseases.  Today the website sticks to generic benefits like "boost your immune system", "delivers superior antioxidants", and "increases energy and physical performance".  Just like Mangosteen, there are several individual sellers that make dramatic claims on their website.  Currently there is no evidence supporting the claims that Noni prevents cancer which is the most talked about potential benefit on the web.  Will McClatchey of the University of Hawaii thinks that Noni is one of the most important plants in Polynesian medicine.  He has run Noni through laboratory studies similar to those pharmaceutical companies use to test drugs and he has not found noni to be filed with any more potent chemicals than other plants.  Hmmmm.......

 

Pomegranate

 

Unlike the other juices, Pom Wonderful has invested $10 million into research with credible scientists at major universities.  Three years ago, a Los Angeles business couple started marketing the juice to Hollywood celebrities after acquiring a pomegranate orchard in central California.  At a whoping $5 a bottle and 160 calories per 8 ounce (50 calories more than a glass of milk or juice), you may want to chose foods that contain similar properties like blueberries, cranberries and strawberries which have fewer calories and potentially similar health benefits.  Lynda and Stewart Resnick state that their "over the top" claims are meant to be humorous and not gospel.  "Drink 8 ounces a day and you might even save a life. Yours!"  There is some evidence that pomegranate juice can help slow PSA numbers (which indicate a growing tumor in the Prostate gland), but there is no conclusive evidence.  There is also positive evidence for cardiovascular disease prevention via improved blood flow, decreased systolic blood pressure and clogged arteries. 

 

There is not enough scientific evidence to convince me that investing in these products is imperative to optimal health or my monthly budget.  Instead, stick to adequate fruits and vegetables that are rich in color, adequate fiber (25-30 grams/day), whole grains and lean meats and low-fat dairy.